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A passenger aboard a Nissan Vannete minibus was killed while four others were injured after their vehicle rammed into a stationary haulage truck at the 92km peg along the Harare-Chirundu highway early this week.

The minibus was travelling from Harare with five males aboard.

Police could not be drawn to name the deceased as their next of kin had not yet been informed by the time of writing.

Mashonaland West provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara confirmed the accident and called for motorists to be alert, especially when driving during the night.

"I can confirm the death of one male passenger and four injured in an accident that occurred in Banket. We urge drivers to be vigilant especially when driving during the night. As police we urge motorists to have reflectors to show there has been a breakdown and use warning triangles so that other motorists can be aware when approaching a broken-down vehicle.

"Furthermore, they must pull off the road when they realise that their vehicle is having problems. We implore passengers to fasten their seat belts always as some of the passengers were not wearing seat belts for their own safety in this particular accident," said Mabgweazara.

The minibus driver, Lawrence Histiri (61) said he only realised that the truck was stationery when it was too late. He reportedly tried to avoid it but noticed there was an oncoming vehicle from the opposite lane, resulting in him serving back to avoid a head-on collision and rammed into the back of the stationary truck.

According to sources, there were no reflectors to warn other motorists of the broken-down lorry.

Two of the passengers were trapped inside the minibus and were later rescued by a Fire Brigade team from Chinhoyi which managed to remove them before they were rushed to Banket District Hospital where one of the passengers died on admission due to injuries sustained in the crash.

Severion Bvunyinge, the truck driver, said his vehicle which was loaded with bricks developed a mechanical fault on the axle.

"At around 3am my vehicle developed a fault on the wheels resulting in it failing to move. Resultantly, a part of the trailer was encroaching on the road. As I was about to go to the nearest police station to get help that is when I heard a loud bang and rushed back only to find the minibus had rammed into the trailer," said Bvunyinge. LOCAL